“Can’t we just cut to the chase if we know where the parties usually end? It’s a colossal waste of time and money to do the dance.” As my regular readers know, I usually recommend the dance. First, most negotiators truly haven’t done their...
“I couldn’t believe it,” he told me. “While I was an outside consultant, this company followed all my recommendations. Then I went full-time with them and my success rate plummeted to 50 percent. What happened?” “Excellent question,” I responded. “The answer? Status...
“What else can we do?” I asked my agent. “He sounds pretty stubborn on this point.” “I’m not sure,” my agent responded. “Let’s give it some thought. I pride myself on my creativity and coming up with nontraditional ways to resolve parties’ differences. Let’s put on...
In “The Negotiator,” actor Samuel Jackson plays a police hostage negotiator who takes his own hostages to prove his fellow officers framed him for murder. During an incredibly tense scene, Jackson drags one of his hostages from view while screaming into the phone. We...
You want a new house, and you’re considering whether to hire a real estate agent or go it alone. Or perhaps you’re selling your business, and an investment banker wants to represent you in lining up potential buyers. You might even manage a sales force, and are...
In a perfect world, nobody would completely lose control or say or e-mail things they regret, and all major decisions would be based on the experts’ research. Of course, we don’t live in a perfect world. So what should we do when our counterparts’ know exactly when...
“He’s hired me to represent him in these negotiations. But he’s holding out and not telling me everything. It’s like he’s negotiating with me – yet we’re on the same side. And the result is counterproductive for both of us. What should I do?” Lawyers, investment...
You arrive at Dick’s office promptly at 10 a.m. for the negotiation and you’re asked to take a seat. Dick, whom you’ve never met, apparently is running late. Thirty minutes later, Dick appears, apologizes for the inconvenience, ushers you into his office and...
First impressions count. In fact, they have a disproportionate impact on how you are viewed. That’s one reason it’s critical to thoroughly prepare for that first meeting. But how does everything play out for the rest of the negotiation? Should you map the process out...
“What issues should we address in our first meeting or call? Should we tackle the toughest issues first, knowing the other issues will be irrelevant if we can’t resolve these? Or should we develop some early momentum on the easier issues, and then address the...
“Delaware Closed” read the large sign over the highway at the Delaware border. And for an hour and a half, it appeared true. As Herb Cohen described in his book, You Can Negotiate Anything, lines of cars “squealed to a halt. Vehicles pulled off the highway. Confused...
Good Negotiating: Step into your Counterpart’s Shoes “I just don’t understand,” John said. “How can they take that position? If you analyze this issue logically and evaluate all the relevant factors, they should be willing to accept our offer.” What’s the...
